It is known that a user's perception of a dispensed fragrance of a constant intensity tends to decay over time. This decay in perception, which is commonly referred to as adaptation and/or habituation, reduces the user's enjoyment of the dispensed fragrance. It is generally believed that adaptation and/or habituation can be reduced by changing the level of intensity of the dispensed fragrance or by dispensing a different fragrance. Fragrance dispensers and methods of dispensing fragrances that address the issue of adaptation and/or habituation are known in the art. Such fragrance dispensers may require significant power resources to operate depending on the electrical requirements for the operation of a heat source and/or fan (if either/both are being used within the fragrance dispenser).
One such fragrance dispenser includes an apparatus that is capable of dispensing one or more fragrances through an aroma delivery device. The delivery device includes a housing having an air passage extending therethrough. The aroma delivery device is disposed in a receptacle that is attached to the housing, wherein a plurality of aroma-bearing elements each containing a volatile material is disposed within a reservoir. A diffusion rate-controlling structure surrounds the reservoir and allows for permeation of the volatile material at a controlled rate. A pressurized air source sends air through the air passage and through the aroma-bearing element that is disposed within the passage, such that fragranced air passes through the air passage and through an outlet to the surrounding environment.
Another dispenser includes a housing having a plurality of scent-filled cartridges disposed within pockets formed in the housing. Each of the cartridges includes an actuating structure whereby, when pressure is exerted thereon, the cartridge is opened and scent therein is diffused into the dispenser. Each pocket includes a heating member disposed therein such that the heating member is below the cartridge when a cartridge is inserted therein to volatize a respective scent. The housing further includes a fan that generates air flow that entrains the diffused scent and pushes same through an opening formed in the housing into a surrounding atmosphere.
Yet another dispenser emits fragrances in an alternating sequence while the dispenser is activated. The dispenser includes, for example, first and second heaters for emitting first and second fragrances, respectively. In one embodiment, the fragrances are alternately emitted by deactivating one of the heaters at the same time the other of the heaters is activated. Alternatively, one of the heaters may be deactivated followed by a gap period and then the other of the heaters may be activated. Still further, one of the heaters may be activated before the other of the heaters is deactivated to create an overlap period.